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WTO NEWS: 2004 NEWS ITEMS

11 February 2004
CAMBODIA MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
GENERAL COUNCIL 11 FEBRUARY 2004

WTO members extend Cambodia’s ratification deadline

The General Council today (11 February) agreed to give Cambodia another six months to ratify its membership agreement and join the WTO. The decision extends the deadline from 31 March to 30 September 2004.

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Cambodia explained in document WT/GC/77, of 30 January 2004, that it needs the extension because it has not been able to form a new government since last July’s elections.

Ratification is the final step before Cambodia can become a WTO member. The negotiated package, which WTO members approved at the Cancún Ministerial Conference’s on 11 September 2003, invited Cambodia to ratify the package by 31 March 2004 (in Article 7 of the Protocol of Accession of Cambodia to the WTO.)

Cambodia will be a member 30 days after it has informed the WTO that it has ratified the deal.